Wilton Copycat Buttercream Icing

This icing is from Wilton, I did the cake decorating course last year and this was the recipe used. This basic recipe gives a stiff icing which is great for making roses and other flowers, but can be thinned down by adding a teaspoon of water at a time to get the consistency you need, for a medium icing for piping add an extra 1 teaspoon of water/milk. For a thin icing to put a base frosting on the cake, add 2 teaspoons of milk/water. I usually use a combination of almond and vanilla extract, and if you are maikng a pure white icing use a clear extract, Wilton do a range of these.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Yields: 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  Crisco, room temp
• 1⁄2 cup butter, room temp
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract or 1  teaspoon  almond extract or 1  teaspoon  butter flavor extract
• 2  tablespoons milk or 2  tablespoons water
• 4  cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1  tablespoon  meringue powder

Directions

1. Cream the butter and crisco together.
2. Add the flavour extract and water.
3. Add dry ingredients 1 cup at a time and beat on medium until throughly mixed.
4. Beat for another 7-10 minutes till the icing is creamy and smooth.
5. Keep covered with a damp cloth while using and leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks.
6. This yields about 3 cups.